Maddon Happy to Be Staying in Tampa

J. Meric/Getty Images(ST. PETERSBURG) — Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon signed a three-year extension at a below-market total of about $6 million on Wednesday.

The deal will keep him in a Rays uniform through 2015.

Maddon, who got his team into the playoffs on the last day of the season last year, was happy to say he’ll be staying in the Sunshine State for a couple more years.

“This is really the only place I wanted to be,” said Maddon. “I think it’s the most interesting place to be involved in Major League Baseball because there is a lot of freedom here.”

Maddon, 58, spoke about a number of reasons for wanting to stick around beyond his current deal that expires after this season — his bosses, the players, and the Tampa Bay community.

“My motivation isn’t the dollar sign, it never has been and never will be,” said Maddon. “My motivation is to do something that I love, where I love to do it, with people that I enjoy doing it with. It matters that you can show up every day and really like walking in the door, that matters.”

Maddon has won two AL manager of the year awards and has led the Rays into the playoffs three times in the past four seasons.